Summer Love
by SparkELee
Summary: It wasn't supposed to happen.... They didn't mean for it to go this way...
1. Innocent Enough

This is my homage to the inevitable end of summer!!

Summer Love

Chapter 1: Innocent Enough…

Looking back on it…. It all started out innocently enough.

_FLASHBACK_

"_Linds, we need to get him to the hospital. He's banged up pretty bad." Flack suggested as they made their way out of the warehouse._

_She nodded, not trusting her voice. They found a nearby ambulance and they medics quickly took over._

"_C'mon, I'll give you a ride." Flack told her, herding her towards his truck._

_Again, all she could do was nod. At this point, she knew the moment she opened her mouth, she'd start to cry._

_She climbed into his truck and they set off towards the hospital._

"_Lindsay. He's going to be fine. The medics even said it. He just needs some minor repairs. He'll be OK." Flack told her a few minutes into the ride, hoping to reassure her._

"_It's my fault. I should have been there. It should have been me." She whispered hoarsely._

"_Linds.. Don't say that. Please don't say that. It would have been 10 times worse for you." Flack replied with a soft sigh._

"_How could it have been any worse that what happened to Danny?!" She exclaimed._

_Sensing her breaking point was near, he quickly pulled over and turned to her, ready to set her straight._

"_How could it have been worse? Seriously Linds? You could have been raped, beaten, killed! Men like that… Women are nothing but objects to them.. I don't even want to think about what they would've done to you. Not to mention what would have happened once Danny and I got our hands on them… Trust me, and Danny will agree, it was better him than you." Flack finished._

_Lindsay sat there, her mouth slightly open, temporarily stunned. Flack had never once spoken to her that way before, and she was sufficiently shocked._

"_We good now?" He questioned, snapping her out of her trance._

_She nodded, unable to speak because she was still reeling a bit at Flack's explanation._

_4 HOURS LATER_

_Danny was out of surgery and now they were waiting to speak to the doctor._

_In that 4 hour timespan Danny's parents had shown up and successfully made Lindsay feel about 2 inches tall._

_Flack had stayed through the whole ordeal, mostly because he wanted to be sure Danny was alright, but he recognized the awkwardness that meeting the family can cause. Especially Danny's family. He had a hunch that this wouldn't help matters much._

"_You're this Lindsay girl my boy talks about?" Mrs. Messer asked upon being introduced to Lindsay._

"_Yes ma'am." She'd replied with a slight smile._

"_You are not what I expected. You put my son through a lot of grief. But he said you had good reason." Anna Messer stated coolly._

_Lindsay nervously glanced over at Flack, not entirely sure how to respond to that. "Be nice Anna. Now's not the time to attack people." He told her, then quickly steered Lindsay away._

"_Danny's her baby. She makes overprotective look like child abuse." He explained as they moved to the other side of the waiting room._

_She smiled. "Thanks for saving me. I wasn't prepared for that." She told him softly, staring down at her hands._

"_I'm not gonna lie. They're a tough group, and as far as his parents are concerned, Danny's the world and we're all revolving around him. No woman is good enough in Anna Messer's eyes." Flack said as he leaned back in his chair._

"_Great. Well that's just what I wanted to hear. Parents normally love me, you know." She replied glumly._

"_I believe it. But…. Well, Danny's parents are far from normal… After all, he is the baby of the family." Flack pointed out._

"_Yeah… But so are you. I'm sure your mother is just as protective." She agreed, trying to cheer herself up._

_Flack snorted. "Ha… My ma would be over the moon if I brought you home. She'd have the wedding planned before we got out the door." He said with a laugh._

_Despite the situation, she laughed as well._

_ACROSS THE ROOM_

_Anna Messer watched this Lindsay woman with slitted eyes. "She's not suited to my Danny. She's not even from the city. She's from Montana. What does she know about living here? Living with a family like this? She must not care much for her family if she moved all the way across the country and left them behind." She told her husband._

_He barely glanced up at her. "Anna dear you know I agree, but Danny is a big boy. We cannot stop him from seeing her." He reminded his wife._

"_Do you think he really cares about this one?" She asked her husband, ignoring his previous statement._

"_Obviously he must care to some degree dear, otherwise he'd never have mentioned her." He replied, not evening looking up from his paper._

"_Look at her and Don. They are much better suited for each other. They look like they belong together. She would be out of place with Danny." She rambled on, again not bothering to listen to her husband's response._

_This time he looked up. She had a bit of a point, at least on the surface, Lindsay and Don appeared to get along quite well and her and Flack would make an attractive couple._

"_Anna dear, Danny tells me this woman is good for him. She's a nice girl. She makes him happy, she keeps his nose clean. You did that for me, remember?" He told her. In truth, he wasn't entirely convinced this girl from Montana was the right one for his son, but Danny did what he pleased, and he'd learned that long ago. Now if only he could get Anna to understand this._

"_I do. But we were different. Danny… He knows nothing of relationships. This one… This one is not the one. They will only hurt each other." She said and just like that, the conversation was closed._

"_Mr. & Mrs. Messer?" A voice from the doorway questioned._

_Danny's parents stood and the doctor quickly approached. He explained everything in hushed tones, Flack and Lindsay couldn't hear a word._

_A moment later, Cal Messer nodded and removed himself from the conversation. He stepped over to where Lindsay and Don were sitting._

"_They say he is out of surgery and resting. We're going to visit him now. You can go in when we get out." Cal told them softly._

_They murmured their thanks and watched them head off towards Danny's room._

"_They don't like me." She said plainly._

"_They don't like any of the women. They've only ever liked one of Danny's girls, and she's long gone. It's nothing personal." He assured her, patting her knee absently._

_DANNY'S HOSPITAL ROOM_

"_Ma… I don't want to go to Florida with you and Dad. I'm fine. It was a few minor bleeds. They set my fingers. I can go back to work in a few days." He protested._

"_More like a few weeks according to the doctor. And some physical therapy. And you have the ability. I think you could use some time away from the city. Spending the summer in Florida would be good for you." His mother argued._

_Danny looked to his father for help. "I agree with her son. You have short term disability and the doctor said this would qualify. This has been a hard year for you and you haven't taken any time off." His father pointed out._

"_I did. I went to Montana." Danny replied angrily._

"_That was not vacation. That was a silly chase after a girl who disappeared without even saying goodbye." His mother corrected._

"_Ma…" Danny warned, his voice clearly indicating that all subjects involving Lindsay were clearly off limits._

"_It doesn't matter, we've already bought the ticket. It's non-refundable. The doctor says you can be discharged tomorrow or Saturday. We leave Sunday." His mother went on._

"_I can't believe you'd do that. I don't want to go." He told her, clearly upset._

"_You may not want to. But you need to. You haven't been out of the state for vacation in 5 years. It's time." His father stated, obviously not in the mood to argue._

_Danny sighed. He couldn't deny the truth in their words. It had been ages since he'd just taken a regular vacation. And he could find ways to escape his parents. The only thing holding him back…. Lindsay. Granted, they'd only just been together the previous night but she was finally within his grasp and he didn't want to lose that opportunity._

"_Let me think about it. Can you send in Lindsay?" He asked his parents._

_His mother started to protest but his father interjected. "We'll get her and Flack." His father told him and ushered him out of the room._

_Danny rolled his eyes and nodded, knowing what his parents were up to. He knew they'd have a problem with Lindsay, but he'd hoped they'd be further along in the relationship before they met her._

_A moment later, Flack and Lindsay appeared in the door._

"_How are you?" Lindsay asked, coming to stand next to his bed. Flack stood at the foot, waiting for Danny's response._

"_I'm OK. Better than they thought. Flack, buddy, I appreciate you coming, and I don't mean to be rude, but could I have a minute alone with Montana?" He asked, hoping Flack would understand._

_Flack nodded "Sure. Glad you're feeling better Messer." He said, tapping the bed for good measure before stepping out and closing the door behind him._

"_What's up?" She asked softly as she took a seat next to him._

_He wrapped his good hand around hers. "My parents… They want me to take some time off. They want me to get away from New York." He told her._

_She nodded. "You haven't taken any vacation. That would probably be good for you." She agreed._

"_They want me to go to Florida." He continued, watching her expression closely._

"_Florida would be good for you, sun, ocean… Relaxing on the beach…" She said, agreeing again. Inside, she felt like she was about to cry, but she needed to get on his parents' good side, and maybe this was the way to do it._

"_For the whole summer." He finished, waiting for her to get upset._

"_I'll miss you Danny, but you need this. Go… I'll be here when you get back." She mustered, successfully swallowing the lump in her throat._

_He was amazed. He really thought she'd have more to say. "Well, it's settled then." He said, more than a little miffed that she was so OK with all of it._

"_Danny, don't… I'm just… I agree. You need some time, and really, if you don't want to go, you don't have to. So since you're bringing it up, you obviously want to go." She pointed out._

_He sighed and squeezed her hand. "I do kind of want to go." He admitted._

"_Then go. It's only a few months. You'll feel so much better when you come back." She told him, smiling._

_He pulled her hand and she stood and brushed a quick kiss to her lips. "I'm coming back for you." He promised._

"_You better." She returned, her hand cupping his face._

_With that, she turned and left. She waited until she was out of sight and found a stairwell. She sat down the top stair and let the tears fall._

_They were taking him away. They didn't want her to take care of him. They didn't trust her. She knew it. She knew they hated her._

_Flack had just grabbed a cup of coffee and turned the corner when he saw Lindsay disappear into a stairwell._

_Thinking this was a bit odd, he followed. He listened at the door a moment and heard her sobbing._

_Without another thought, he pushed through the door and there she was, sitting on the top step, crying._

_She looked over and saw who her visitor was. "What happened?" He asked, sitting down next to her._

"_I am such a girl!" She wailed, covering her face with her hands._

"_Well, yes you are, but what does that have to do with this?" He questioned, hoping to lighten the mood, as he wasn't very accustomed to dealing with crying women. It didn't seem to have any effect on the crying woman next to him._

"_They're taking him to Florida for the whole summer because they don't trust me to take care of him. They don't want me doing it…." She sobbed miserably._

_He sighed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Remember what I told you about taking this stuff personally?" He asked._

_He felt her nod against him. "That applies here. She just wants to get him out of town for awhile, baby him… And he's just not in a place to say no, that's all." He assured her. _

_He really wished he believed what he was telling her. He knew how the Messers worked. Anna Messer was very good at meddling. He knew exactly what she was doing. She was trying to push Lindsay out of the picture. But at this very moment, Lindsay didn't need to know that._

"_It's gonna be fine.Look, it'll go by fast. You'll work, we'll hang out, see a few bands. He'll be back before you know it." He assured her._

_END FLASHBACK_

See? Totally innocent. But it's those innocent things that become the most problematic… You never see them coming.

OK so there you go!!!!


	2. Whatever It Takes

Summer Love

Chapter 2: Whatever It Takes

Lindsay glanced over at the desk across from hers for what felt like the millionth time that day.

It was May 30. Danny had only left the week before and she already missed him.

_I am officially pathetic. We aren't even in a relationship!_ She reminded herself, not wanting to admit that those words had become something of her mantra within the last few days.

She reflected back on the previous week, she hadn't even gotten to see him off.

He'd called her, from the cab, on his way to the airport, to tell her he was leaving.

_FLASHBACK_

_Her pants were buzzing. She stepped away from the newsstand she was perusing to see who it was._

_She couldn't help the smile on her face when "D" flashed on the screen._

"_Hey." She said warmly into the phone as she moved away from the noise of the busy street._

"_Hey Montana. What's goin' on?" He asked, perking up a little at the sound of her voice._

"_Heading into work. Where are you? I hear background noise." She stated, unable to place where he was._

"_In a cab. Heading to LaGuardia. We're leaving." He replied, this time his tone was flat and low._

_She froze. He was leaving. Today. And she wasn't going to get to say goodbye. "Oh… Ok…" She answered, grappling with the right words._

"_I'm not happy about it either. I wanted to say goodbye to you but my parents pounced on me the second I was released. They had my stuff packed and everything. I'm meeting them now." He explained, hoping she'd take comfort in the fact that he was just as unhappy as him._

"_It's… It's OK. They just want you to get better, and the sooner you get out of the city, the quicker you can get back." She reminded him, realizing she needed to hear those words too._

"_That's true. Listen I gotta go. But I just wanted to say goodbye. And… I'll miss you." He said into the phone, his voice barely above a whisper._

"_I'll miss you too." She replied, keeping her voice calm and steady._

That was the last she'd heard of him.

"Linds!" A voice broke into her thoughts. She snapped her head up, and found herself staring into Don's blue eyes.

"Sorry, I was just sort of out of it." She apologized lamely, running a hand through her curls.

"You're depressing the whole lab, you know that right?" He questioned teasingly as he entered the office and sat down across from her.

"I am not. If anything, the rumors have tripled since he left. No one is depressed." She responded with a small smile.

"Maybe not everyone but you sure depress me. Every time I see you, you look like your face is about to cave in." He observed honestly.

She offered him a smirk. "Thanks, that really helps." She shot back, sitting back in her chair.

He put his hands up in defense. "Hey, don't get mad at me. Besides, I could take you." He told her, hoping to bring a smile to her face.

It worked. She gave him a real smile. "Atta girl. Knew you had it in you." He praised as he stood and headed to the door.

She turned back to her work when his words interrupted her again. "Linds? He's coming back, don't forget that." He reminded her, rapping the door frame for effect.

Flack's gesture of kindness and the equally thoughtful words seemed to pull her a little farther out of her funk, and until that point, she hadn't even realized she needed the pulling.

A week after her conversation with Flack, she got up the courage to email him. She sat there, like a high school girl, waiting for her email response. She never received one.

She didn't bother to mask her disappointment.

Flack cornered her in the kitchen the week after she'd emailed Danny. "Ok, so who kicked your puppy?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.

"I emailed Danny 4 days ago and I haven't heard anything." She replied miserably, doing her best to try not to sound like a whiny 18 year old.

"How do you know he has a computer?" Flack asked logically.

She froze. "Didn't think about that did ya?" He questioned. He didn't say anything more, just turned and left her to her thoughts.

After an hour of staring at her phone, she worked up the courage to send him a text. It was a short and simple "how are you?"

She pathologically checked her phone the next 5 days and never heard a peep.

Her depression had resurfaced by day 6.

"Ok, that's it. It's 5:30. Pack up. We're getting a drink." Flack announced as he strode into her office, his tone suggesting he wasn't asking, rather, he was telling.

She was sputtering for words as he snatched the paperwork from her hand and plopped it in her inbox.

She watched in awe as he grabbed her coat and purse off the rack and put it in her lap.

Without a word, he grabbed the back of her rolling chair, (with her still in it) and pushed her through the office and out into the hall.

"Stand up or I'm dumping you on the ground." He instructed as they crossed the threshold.

She stood and he turned and lightly pushed the chair back into the room. He shut off the light and pulled the door closed.

He turned his attention back to her and he quickly guided her down the hall, his hand on her back as he steered her towards the elevator.

"Sure Flack, I'd love to go for a drink, thanks for asking!" She recited sarcastically as they got on the elevator.

"And if I'd have honestly believed you'd say that, I would have asked. But I didn't believe that so I didn't ask." He shot back as they rode the elevator down.

"I don't know what everyone's issue is." She remarked under her breath.

"The issue is you're walking around here acting like he's dead. He's not dead. He's in Miami Linds. Relaxing. Recovering. He's coming back." He reminded her for the millionth time as they stepped off the elevator.

"Yeah but probably not to me." She replied, her voice full of hurt.

"Why wouldn't he come back to you? He's nuts about you. Believe me, I would know." Flack told her.

"He hasn't answered my text. I sent it 5 days ago. He always responds to my text messages. And he always has his phone. ALWAYS. You know that." Lindsay told him, daring Flack to challenge her.

He winced a bit at this. He knew what she was saying was accurate. But he also knew one thing she didn't. Danny's parents were a bit… Controlling. And based on their reaction to Lindsay… It wouldn't surprise him if they'd made him leave his phone off or refused to let him bring it. They'd do what it took to get her off his mind.

What he wasn't sure of was whether or not he should share this information with Lindsay.

"Don't sweat it, OK? There's no way he doesn't miss you. Just let it go, try to enjoy your summer. Please? For the sake of the lab? They're afraid you're gonna lose it and stab one of them." He joked.

This time, she full on laughed. He felt a stab of warmth shoot through him.

He stood with her at the light, waiting to cross. "I don't see how going out is going to help." She grumbled as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Yeah, that's nice Linds. Real mature. Going out helps get your mind off him. You shouldn't be sitting in your office moping all day. This is a reminder that other people exist besides Danny." He told her as they crossed the street, headed toward Finley's, the local hang out.

"I know that other people exist." She protested as he held the door open and gently nudged her forward.

"Really? Cause I'm pretty sure you're under the impression that the world stopped when Danny left." He returned as they found their way to the bar.

Lindsay opened her mouth to protest but nothing came out. He was right. Her world had stopped and she hadn't even realized it.

She sank onto a stool, completely disgusted with herself. "Just hit ya, didn't it?" He asked as he took the seat next to her, putting a beer in her hand.

She nodded slowly as she took a sip of her beer, still not making eye contact.

"Happens to the best of us." He told her, giving her a small smile and resting a hand on the middle of her back, attempting to be comforting.

"I can't believe myself. I spent one night with him, barely that! And look at me! I'm a mess! It's not like we were married, or even together. It was one night…" She muttered miserably.

_Thank God she realizes that…_ He hadn't wanted to say it, but it had been hanging in the back of his head, a constant reminder. But he also knew it wasn't just one night, things had been brewing between her and Danny for awhile.

"It may have only been one night that you acted on it, but you guys have cared about each other for awhile, right?" He questioned as he took a swallow of his own beer.

"I guess, I mean, yeah, sort of… It was a lot of flirting. But when I came here… And up until I went back home to testify, I didn't really have the same kind of feelings he had. I had all those skeletons to deal with, it's only been recently that I've even allowed myself to feel anything." She explained.

"So, all the feelings… They've just been Danny up until recently?" He questioned, wanting to clarify. That was new information to him. He knew Lindsay had stood Danny up and they'd had it out afterwards, but he hadn't really had any of the details until now.

"Mostly. I mean, I liked him, but not as anymore then a friend or co-worker, until recently. That's why it's just so silly that I'm this upset." She went on, feeling more and more stupid as she actually spoke the words aloud.

He nodded, not quite sure of what he should say, he wasn't even entirely sure that there was anything he could say to that.

"I guess it just seems like we have bad timing. When he was available, I wasn't. Now that I am, he's gone." She continued after taking a long pull from her beer.

"He is coming back Linds." Flack reminded her for what felt like the millionth time, beginning to sound like a broken record.

"Yeah, but in the mean time, he's surrounded by tons of women who are either naked or next to naked." Lindsay interjected, not bothering to hide her disgust.

At this, Flack definitely couldn't say anything because he knew just how right she actually was. And the fact that Danny was probably partying with two or three women at this very moment made him a little sad for the woman sitting next to him.

He turned to Lindsay, waiting for her to meet his eyes.

"Linds, my honest advice to you is to do whatever it takes to make you happy and keep your mind off Danny. Remember, you guys aren't together or anything, you don't owe him anything. Enjoy your summer. What happens when Danny gets back is a whole other story."

As Lindsay held eye contact with the deep blue eyes of Don Flack, she realized he just may have a point.

REVIEW


	3. Clarity, Rooftop Gardens and Fireworks

NOTE: This story takes place during the course of this past summer. It started the day Danny got hurt, back in May.

Summer Love

Chapter 3: Clarity, Rooftop Gardens and Fireworks

There was a moment. A moment in which Lindsay stopped thinking about Danny.

It wasn't until the 4th of July that Lindsay realized she was no longer thinking about him.

Flack's building was having a rooftop BBQ to celebrate the holiday and watch the fireworks. There were a bunch of people from his building there, as well as a few officers from the precinct, but she was the only one he'd invited from the lab.

She'd been standing next to Flack, chatting with one of the officers, Clay Ross, when it happened.

"Yeah, a couple of our guys transferred outta Narcotics after the Gavin Wilder scene. How's Messer handlin' all of it?" Clay questioned, directing the question at both of them.

_Damn it Ross!_ Flack had worked hard to keep Danny out of daily conversation in hopes of moving him to the farthest corner of her mind. He held in his sigh of frustration as his eyes slid to Lindsay. He saw the briefest of emotions cross over her face before she quickly schooled it back into a more neutral expression.

"He's taking the summer off, spending time with his family." Lindsay replied, her tone even and impossible to read.

Flack resisted the urge to exhale a tiny breath of relief. She'd handled that well, much better than he'd expected.

For her part, she'd covered up her anguish well. She stood there for a few more moments, talking, and when she finally felt like she could excuse herself (without looking suspicious), she did.

The two men stopped talking as she moved away. Flack watched, his gaze drinking her in. She'd chosen a pair of white mid-thigh length shorts and a red tank top with a white one underneath. She'd let her hair grow out and now it was tied back off her face, which was also tan from sunning on her roof.

"You've been spending a lot of time with her." Ross stated, very matter of factly.

"Yep." Flack replied, keeping his tone vague as he kept his gaze on the horizon.

"I mean, not that I blame you, she's good lookin' and she ain't too bad to hang out with, but isn't she sorta… Spoken for? Really think you oughta be playin' around with Messer's girl?" Ross questioned, his tone was skeptical and he was very clearly baiting Flack.

"Don't." Was all Flack said, his tone indicating that the subject was very definitely NOT open for discussion.

"Hey man, no worries. You said it all right there." Ross replied flippantly before turning and walking off.

Lindsay made it to the beer filled coolers in one piece. She grabbed a cold can out of the ice and made her way to a quiet spot on the roof, overlooking the Hudson. She sat down, one leg underneath her, and cracked her can.

She took a few sips and gazed out over the view, taking in one of Danny's favorite scenes. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd given him real thought and she felt awful for it.

Flack found her sitting by herself on the side, seemingly lost in thought. "Don't jump." He said, startling her out of her thoughts.

She turned to look at him and the smile he'd been wearing instantly vanished. "What's up?" He asked, taking two quick steps to her side.

"I forgot about Danny." She confessed, turning away from him.

He exhaled slowly. "I'm not followin' Linds. Why is that so terrible?" He asked, almost wincing because he felt like he was asking the wrong question.

She was silent. _Why was it a bad thing? He probably isn't thinking of me every second of every day._ "I don't know Flack… It's not like we're dating or anything… I just… I don't know Don, I feel bad." She sighed miserably.

He stuck his hands in his pockets and really debated whether or not he should ask the next question.

"Do you miss him?" He asked at last, unable to make eye contact.

Her eyes widened briefly at this question. She hadn't expected that. _Do I miss him? I can't even remember the last time I thought about him…_

"I feel like I SHOULD miss him…" She trailed off, not feeling like it was the best answer.

"But you don't?" Flack questioned, his eyebrows in his hair. He'd fully expected her to say, without any hesitation, that she missed him.

"I guess I don't miss him in the way I thought I would. I really thought his leaving was going to make this summer miserable, but it hasn't…. And you're partially responsible for that." She told him, bumping his leg with her foot.

"Well, I am pretty amazing." He agreed jokingly.

She laughed. It was nice to hear her do that, especially given the heavy conversation they'd just had.

He stood next to her, taking in the breathtaking skyline. "Do you think he misses me?" She asked quietly after several quietly tense moments.

"Linds… I'm not Dan. I can't speak for him because he doesn't exactly read like a book. But I can tell you this. If he doesn't miss you… He's completely insane." Flack told her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Thanks Flack." She replied, offering a small smile for his words.

"Fireworks are starting soon. C'mon." He told her, grabbing her by the arm.

"Can't we see them from here? Isn't that the whole point of being on the roof?" She questioned as she was pulled to her feet.

"Trust me Monroe, there's a better spot." He assured her as he stopped and grabbed a small cooler of beer to take back with them. He also snatched up a blanket off a nearby table and tossed it to her. He guided her along with his free hand.

They walked all the way to the other end of the building and came to an impossibly tall wooden privacy fence, complete with a locked gate.

"Where are we?" She asked suspiciously.

"Patience Monroe, patience." He told her as he fished his keys out and upon finding the correct one, unlocked the gate. He swung the gate open and she gasped.

It was like stepping into a whole other world. The moment she stepped in, she was standing on grass. There were several small trees, shrubbery and flowers everywhere. He smiled at her expression as he followed her in and locked the gate behind him.

"Follow me." He instructed. He led her a little deeper into the secret forest and they came to a small patch of grass just big enough for the two of them and their cooler.

"How does this place exist up here…? And how do they keep it like this all year round?" She asked, amazed at the scene around her.

"They enclose it in the winter. A few years back they offered all of us tenants the option of paying an extra $50 a month to build and then maintain this place. Anyone who chipped in got a key in exchange for their contribution." He explained as he set the cooler down and took the blanket from her and spread it out.

"I never would've thought you'd have a soft spot for gardens…" She trailed off, amazed at this new discovery.

"I appreciate all types of beauty." He told her as they sat down and cracked their beers.

MEANWHILE IN MIAMI

Miami was….. Definitely not New York.

The weather wasn't the same. Danny was used to cooler climates, more gray skies. He'd been in Miami for over a month and a half and nearly everyday had been perfect. Not that he was complaining.

The city was different. The buildings were smaller, prettier, definitely not eye sores.

And the women… Good god Miami had some women. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't looked. Because he had. It was hard not to when they pranced around in next to nothing all day long and less than 5 feet in front of him no less.

He hadn't acted, mostly because of that little voice in his head, reminding him that he had a woman at home….

But there was another voice too… One that said she wasn't really his woman and he wasn't really her man…

The first voice was louder, but the second voice sounded more like him….

His thoughts stopped entirely when a leggy blonde across the pool met his penetrating gaze with one of her own.

Danny swallowed hard and did the right thing. He looked away.

BACK IN NEW YORK

She settled down on the blanket, crossing her legs Indian style. He stretched out next to her, his long legs taking up most of the blanket.

They sat in companionable silence for a few moments before Flack asked the question he'd been dying to ask for a long time.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked, turning slightly to look at her.

"Sure." She agreed genially as she scooted down on the blanket and laid on her back, hands behind her head.

"Why Danny?" He questioned, his voice full of curiosity.

"What do you mean?" She returned, her head cocked slightly to the side.

"I mean…. You guys are really… Different. He used to be in a gang, he's part of a family with ties to the mob… He's smart, but most of it comes from the street… He's hot headed and has a bad temper. He goes through women like he goes through water… And you… You're a country girl, 100, you aren't afraid to get your hands dirty…. You're cool, level headed, more intelligent than anyone I've ever met You're a relationship kind of girl, you don't play around… I just don't get it… How does that work?" He trailed off, leaving his question hanging in the air.

She was quiet for awhile as she turned the question over in her head. "Honestly? In the beginning… It was simple… He was kind of like that guy in high school….The one that was really popular and dated all the cheerleaders. The one that never looked at me because I was a geek who loved chemistry and reading crime novels. So when I came here and he actually noticed me… It was hard to ignore that." She explained.

"So you like him because he likes you?" Flack questioned, obviously confused.

"No, that's how it started. Simple flattery. But I also realized he was more than just that guy. Or at least I thought he was… Until now…" She mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

She turned to face him. "I'm a little embarrassed Flack." She told him.

He wrinkled his brow at her. "I'm not followin'." Was his response as he re-adjusted and propped himself up on his side, facing her.

"I fell for it… I fell for the wrong guy. I'm not stupid Flack. I haven't heard from him all summer. He hasn't called, text, written, emailed, nothing. I know what that means Flack. If he really cared, if he really wanted to, he could very easily get ahold of me." She told him.

"Linds… You don't know the circumstances." Flack tried to defend his best friend.

"Tell me something Flack. If you were in his shoes, wouldn't you try? Wouldn't you want to talk to the girl you've supposedly cared about for a year? If you really cared, I mean, really cared, wouldn't you do what it took to at least get in touch with her once?" Lindsay challenged.

_Damn it…_ "You have a point." Flack admitted grudgingly.

"See. I told you." Lindsay replied softly.

"But Linds, Dan and I… We aren't the same kind of person. If I cared about you as much as Dan said he did, I'd have never left the state. Not after working that hard for you." Flack said, instantly feeling like he picked the wrong words.

"My point exactly." Lindsay whispered, her eyes gazing off into the distance.

"You can't… I mean… It's not… He's…." Flack started and fumbled, not sure of where his thought process was taking him.

"See? There's nothing Flack. There's nothing you can say, because at the end of the day, I'm right. But thanks for trying. That means a lot." She told him, laying a hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry Linds. I really am." He muttered, knowing that whatever she was feeling must really hurt.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I let myself get wrapped up in him. I just feel so stupid… God, I'm such a teenager sometimes." She berated herself, feeling like it was all hitting her at once.

This time, he was the one who took her hand. "Hey. No. Don't do that. Don't. You aren't stupid. You really aren't. You're one of the most intelligent people I know. Don't go ruining that for me." Don told her, his tone slightly teasing as he ended.

She smiled softly at him.

They were interrupted by a loud bang as the fireworks started overhead. He watched her a moment longer before rolling over on his back to watch the rest of the show.

She sighed softly and focused her attention on the skies above her.

"It's just so beautiful…." She breathed, the faint scent of burnt air wafting into her nostrils.

He smiled, feeling very pleased with himself for sharing this with her.

"Ya know… If I close my eyes, it's almost like I'm home, in Montana." She whispered.

He glanced over at her, surprised to find a single tear rolling down her cheek.

"Doll? Why are you crying?" He asked, moving back onto his side.

"I'm a silly girl, that's why. Because all it takes are a bunch of weeds and fireworks to make me realize how much I miss home and I start bawling like a teenager." She explained.

He didn't say anything. He laid back down, facing the sky and reached over, taking her hand in his, bringing it to his side as he did so.

Lindsay allowed her eyes to drift close.

Right there, in that moment, there was nothing else. There was no Danny. There was no New York. There was nothing, nothing except her and him.

REVIEW


	4. No Going Back

Summer Love

Chapter 4: No Going Back

"OK Mac, thanks. I'll check these out." Flack told Detective Taylor as he headed out of the older man's office.

It was 3 PM on Friday afternoon and it had been a week since the 4th of July rooftop party. A week since they'd really seen each other. And it was bothering him. More importantly, it bothered him that he was bothered. _That doesn't even make sense._

She'd been bogged down with the same case all week. A case she'd been working on with Angell, much to his aggravation. He'd been stuck with Hawkes. Not that he didn't like Hawkes, but well, Lindsay was better company.

He slowed down as he came to her office. He glanced in, not expecting her to be there. But there she was, bent over some paperwork.

He did his best to ignore the little leap in his chest as he poked his head in. "Hey stranger." He greeted, taking a step in and leaning up against the door frame.

She looked up and smiled widely at him. He felt his stomach shift slightly at her reaction. _That's a new one…_

"Hey! What's up? It's been a week, how ya doing without me?" She teased, dropping her pen and leaning back in her chair as he strode in and took a seat across from her.

"Well well well, look who found her sense of humor!" He shot back, feeling relief course through him. The previous weekend had left him feeling a little unsure of a lot of things.

_**FLASHBACK**_

"_**Thanks for this Flack, it… it really helped…." She told him as he stood up and offered his hands to her.**_

_**She took his hands and she pulled her up, but he didn't drop them once she was fully upright.**_

"_**I hope I didn't cross any lines or anything… I just wanted… I wanted to make sure you were OK." He replied, his eyes focused on her face.**_

_**She smiled at him, blushing a bit under his intense blue eyes. Even though he and Danny shared blue as their eye color, the similarities stopped there. Danny's were bright, vibrant and playful. Don's were intense and deep, she always felt like he was staring into her rather than at her.**_

_**He dropped her hands and she rested them lightly on his biceps. "I'm OK. Thanks to you." She responded.**_

_**END FLASHBACK**_

She laughed a little at his statement. "Listen… I know it's kind of short notice… But I want to thank you… For last weekend. So if you aren't busy tonight-" She started but he cut her off.

"I'm not." He replied, silently cursing himself for jumping the gun. _Way to go… That didn't pathetic or desperate at all…_

She beamed that smile of hers at him and all thoughts of desperation vanished. "Dinner at my place? 8? I'm cooking. You can bring the alcohol if you want… Neither of us has to work tomorrow." She reminded him, her tone light and inviting.

"Sounds great. I'll see you tonight." He agreed easily as he unfolded his long body from the chair and headed out.

She waved her goodbye, watching his retreating form. She tried to focus on her paperwork but she just couldn't collect her thoughts.

Especially not after she realized this was the first time her and Flack would really and truly be alone. Sure, they'd gone to bars, but there'd always been other people. And last weekend, they'd been in the garden, but the rest of the crowd was less than 20 feet from them at any given point.

They'd be alone that night. Really alone. The kind of alone that had gotten her and Danny in trouble._ No, that's not going to happen. This is Flack. He's Danny's best friend. Besides, he's not even attracted to me… WAIT! Why would I even think about that? I don't really find him attractive… Do I?_

She briefly entertained the notion of canceling, but she didn't. She owed him this, he'd been there for her, as her friend, all summer. _That's right, he's just a friend. No more. JUST A FRIEND._

Besides, she could control herself. _I probably won't even have to worry about that, Flack would never try anything. He respects Danny… But… Danny has been gone and really, Danny and I aren't even together…_

"Oh this is bad… This is so bad…." She muttered to herself as the realization struck her. _Since when am I attracted to Don Flack?_

Don packed up at exactly 5 pm. "Don Flack leaving on time. That's a new one." He glanced over at Detective Ross's desk.

"It's Friday. I got a weekend to get to." Flack replied easily, grabbing his coat off the back of the chair and heading to the door.

"A weekend or a girl?" Ross questioned, stopping Flack in his tracks.

Ross waited for the dark haired detective to reply. When he didn't, Ross pushed forward.

"I saw you and the country girl retreating to your little garden last weekend…. You know he's coming back, right? He's coming back. For her. And he's not going to be happy once he finds out you've been doing his girl…." Ross taunted.

Flack turned on his heel and marched up to the smaller man, not stopping until he was in his colleague's face. "Ross. I don't think you know what you're getting yourself into. I work with an ex-marine, a former ME, a traumatized country girl, a detective with ties to the mob, and an angry woman who killed her ex-boyfriend. You really want to mess with that? They could make you disappear. And not just your body. Everything about you. Once they're done with you, it'll be like you never existed. So I suggest you give strong thought to what you say next."

Ross had the decency to look scared out of his mind. "Good. Glad we had this talk."

Flack grabbed his bag and headed out, glad to be leaving work behind for a full 48 hours.

At 5 on the nose, Lindsay was out the door, coat and purse in hand. She'd realized soon after he'd made his exit that she hadn't really cleaned her place in a little over a week. Which meant that she had to clean as well as cook.

She was home by 5:45 thanks to the fact that the subway was miraculously running on time that evening.

She burst in the door after a quick stop at the grocery store around the corner. She shed her coat and things and quickly began preparing the lime chicken she'd planned on making.

She somehow managed to get her apartment cleaned and dinner in the oven by 6:45.

She hurried off to the bathroom for a quick shower. She quickly toweled off and let her hair dry naturally while she headed to her bedroom for a pair of faded jeans and a vibrant green sweater, opting to leave her feet bare. She'd just finished applying light makeup when the buzzer went off. She padded to the door and buzzed him in.

She glanced at her reflection in the hall mirror seconds before he strode in.

He'd exchanged his suit for dark jeans and a black sweater. He was toting a couple of bottles of wine too.

"Hey! Look at you… I was expecting beer and you brought wine… Who're you trying to impress?" She teased.

"Only you Monroe. Nice place by the way." He complimented, giving her a smile as she took the wine from him and into the kitchen.

"Thanks. I probably should have invited you over a lot sooner… Sorry about that." She told him as she joined him in her living room.

"I'll live. Man, what a view. Maybe I should move to Manhattan…" He said, gazing out her window appreciatively.

She laughed. "C'mon, dinner's just about ready." She informed him, gesturing to her small dining room table, obviously wanting him to sit.

He followed her into the kitchen instead. "What are you doing?" She asked, slightly confused.

"I can at least help you carry all of this in. You don't need to wait on me." He reminded her as he gestured to the various items lining the counter. Without any further hesitation, he grabbed the two wineglasses and the red wine he'd brought, along with the salad and headed out of the kitchen whistling.

She smiled and rolled her eyes, grabbing their food laden plates and followed him to the table.

An hour later, Flack pushed back from the table. "That was fantastic." He complimented as he picked up his plate and hers and whisked them off to the kitchen.

She was right on his heels, carrying the wine and their glasses. She hopped up on the counter and poured herself another glass. (Her 4th)

"So you aren't gonna help?" He asked teasingly as he took a sip from his glass. (His 5th)

"Ha. I cooked buddy, and did a damn fine job if I do say so myself." She shot back with a satisfied smile.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Anybody can cook chicken…" He muttered as he bent over to put the plates in her dishwasher.

Her jaw dropped open at his comment. Without even hesitating, she kicked her foot out, meaning to kick him in the ass but he grabbed her bare foot.

"I don't think so doll. Nice try but you're gonna have to be a whole lot sneakier than that to get by me." He told her as he turned to face her.

She narrowed her eyes at him challengingly. "Oh because you have such cat-like reflexes…" She trailed off sarcastically.

In one swift jerk, she was off the counter and he'd managed to drop her foot and had snagged her arms and had pulled her to him, her back to his chest, her arms securely (but not painfully) behind her back.

"You were saying?" He whispered in her ear.

She wasn't about to let him get away with proving his point, at least, not so easily.

Maybe it was the alcohol… Maybe it was the close proximity… Maybe it was his cologne she was now acutely aware of… But her next move proved to be the spark that started the fire that had been slowly building for a long time.

She picked up her left foot and ran it along the inside of his leg, starting at his knee and slowly traveling upwards.

She expected him to drop her hands instantly, but instead his grip tightened ever so slightly.

"You're not fighting fair." He told her, his voice low and gravely in her ear.

"Oh and you holding me hostage in my kitchen is?" She challenged, turning her head as far as she could, in an attempt to make eye contact.

He attempted to grab her foot with one hand while holding her secure with the other but she was prepared for that and broke free the minute she felt his hands shift.

She took off out of the kitchen, he was faster though, and caught up within a few steps.

"Not so fast Monroe." He warned her as he managed to grab hold of her upper arm and pulled her to him.

She found herself face to face with the blue eyed detective. He raised his eyebrows in challenge, as if to say "What are you gonna do now?"

She flicked her eyes down once and an idea sparked in her mind. She reached out with her free hand and tickled his side. He let go of her instantly and a smile lit up her face.

"Ohhh… Are we ticklish!?!" She taunted, advancing on him now.

He backed up a few feet, until he found himself up against a wall. "OK, ok…. I give. I might be a little ticklish." He admitted, his hands up in the air, offering his surrender.

She took another step and a sneaky grin formed on her face. She moved in for the attack but he was a hair faster and before she realized it, she was up against the wall, her hands pinned with his larger ones.

"Always remember… I don't surrender to anyone… But especially not you." He whispered in her ear, his body centimeters from being pressed up against hers.

He slowly pulled back and found himself staring her in the eye. He expected her to look away or try and struggle but she didn't. Her gaze held his. She licked her lips and his eyes followed the action. It was like a moth to a flame. He couldn't help it.

A moment later, he pressed his lips to hers. He'd expected her to resist him, push him away but she didn't. She kissed him back, pushing her body up against his, eliciting a low moan from him. He let go of her hands and buried one in her hair and the other wrapped around her as his tongue slipped into her mouth with no problem.

And somewhere, in the back of both their minds, they knew, this was it, the point of no return. And at that moment, neither one of them cared.

Like? REVIEW


	5. Good vs Right

Summer Love

Summer Love

Chapter 5: Good vs. Right

The need for oxygen finally broke their connection. She gulped in oxygen, afraid to look him in the eye.

For his part, he was staring at the wall behind her, trying to convince himself that this hadn't just happened.

"Well um, this wasn't how I pictured this evening going." She muttered as he released her and took a step back.

"Funny… I seem to have pictured it a time or two in my head…." He sighed under his breath, not actually realizing he'd spoken the words aloud.

"You've…. Thought about this?" She questioned, stopping him in his tracks.

"I… Um, I didn't mean to say that out loud." He told her, quickly turning red at the realization of his admission.

"But… You… You've thought about this." She repeated, not entirely believing the words coming out of her own mouth.

"Well… Yeah. I mean, we've been spending a lot of time together… I didn't mean to feel like this, it just sort of happened… You're kind of amazing… You make it pretty easy to like you." He told her, feeling a little ridiculous about his confession.

She stood there, frozen to her spot. She'd never expected to hear words like that come out of Flack's mouth, let alone have them spoken to her. _I've never been called amazing before…_

The truth was, if she was being really honest with herself, her mind had occasionally wondered about the idea of Flack… Of kissing him… Touching him… Him touching her…

She shook her head, as if trying to rid the thoughts from her mind. Her eyes re-focused and she discovered Flack was watching, his eyes filled with slight confusion and curiosity.

She ran a hand through her hair. "Ok, so maybe you aren't the only one who's entertained some… Thoughts…" She trailed off, a little embarrassed at her admission.

But if Flack noticed, he didn't let on. Instead, his eyes darkened a shade and his breathing quickened.

He took a step towards her, but with her back against the wall, she had nowhere to go. She watched, helplessly as he moved closer still.

"Well well well… Looks like the country girl isn't as innocent as I thought…" He muttered, his eyes focusing on her lips.

"Don't recall claiming I was innocent." She retorted, feeling her skin heat up at the feel of his gaze on her.

"Maybe not but you played the role very well… Too bad I saw right through you…" He shot back, using his pointer finger to tuck her hair behind her ear before letting it trail past her jaw down the length of her neck.

She gulped at the feeling of his fingers on her skin. She clenched her fingers against the wall, struggling to maintain some of her lingering composure.

He couldn't help it, she was driving him crazy with her control. She was holding her own, he wanted her to release it…

He leaned in, breathing in her smell. He let the finger that had been trailing down her neck drop lower and wrap around her back. He slipped his cool hand under her sweater and pressed the pads of his fingers to her lower spine.

He slid his other hand into her wavy hair and pushed it away from her neck and pressed the barest of kisses there, finishing it with a flick of his tongue as he pressed his fingers into her spine.

"Do me a favor… Let go."

She sucked in her breath at his request. Her mind was racing. _Should I? What about Danny? What about work?? How are we supposed to work cases together now??_

"Stop. Stop thinking, stop analyzing, stop worrying. Stop and just feel. Go with it. Do what feels good instead of what feels right." He pleaded with her, his fingers splayed low on her back, just brushing the waistband of her jeans.

She'd never been that kind of girl. She did the right thing, regardless of how it felt.

But then… Wow… She'd never felt anything this good.

"You have about 5 seconds to stop me, and then, angel, no going back." He warned her, his face growing serious for a moment. She vaguely heard him counting as the desire took over.

She didn't even make it to 3.

This time, what was right didn't even matter.

Ok so this was a necessary chapter, I know it's short, but it's the transition to the more serious part of the story.


	6. Upside Down

Summer Love

Chapter 6: Upside Down

Lindsay's eyelids felt like they weighed 20 pounds each. She groaned as she turned over and the offensive sunlight struck her face.

She willed her eyes to open, squinting against the bright light. She blinked a few times, fumbling for her glasses next to the bed. She slid them on and her eyes came to rest on the clock sitting on the night stand.

11:16 AM.

_Wow, I never sleep this late._

She rolled over, intending to go back to sleep, instead she ran smack into the toned chest of a very naked Don Flack.

_Ohhh…Ohh this is not good… I didn't dream it._

She winced, flopping back down on the bed, her hand covering her face.

"Was I that bad?"

She'd been so preoccupied by the fact that there was a body next to her, she hadn't realized it was awake.

She removed her hand from her face and slid her eyes over to Flack.

"Um…. No?" She replied hesitantly.

He laughed. "Do you remember anything?" He questioned.

She did. But only because she'd been convinced she dreamed it.

"I do…." She trailed off, averting her eyes, her cheeks flaming a little as she recalled the events to her mind.

_I should have known it wasn't a dream! I never remember my dreams that vividly._

He touched a hand to her arm.

"Don't be embarrassed. Nothin' to be ashamed of." He told her.

She lifted her gaze back to his. She was met with a gaze of genuine affection. His eyes were warm and inviting. The feeling of dread that had previously engulfed her was starting to ease back.

Then he managed to shock her again. He gently took her chin in his, leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

Her eyes widened for a moment before fluttering closed. More memories of the night before washed over her….

_FLASHBACK_

…_She felt his nimble fingers slip under her thin shirt, the tips brushing against her hot skin, pressing into her sides, gripping her, he wanted her just as much as she wanted him._

…_He wrapped her hand in his and lead her to the bedroom, his stride hurried. He didn't want to wait any longer._

… _He slid her top off and his fingers slid down her body, lightly grazing her lace bra._

…_The snap on her jeans was easy. He slid them down, his gaze never leaving her face, she felt like she would melt under his stare…._

_END FLASHBACK_

The kiss deepened and she dug her fingers into his arm. His hand tangled into her sleep tousled hair.

They broke apart a moment later, both breathing a bit heavy.

"I… Uh, I think we should probably stop before we go for round 2." She said, sliding away.

He was silent as she began to slip out of bed.

"Would that be so bad?"

His question stopped her in his tracks.

_Clearly he isn't viewing this as a drunken one night stand._

"You know I'm not casual about these things." He said as if reading her mind. He was out of bed, clad in nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs.

She did know that. She knew he was not a 'sex and run' type of man. Which basically meant…..

_He has feelings for me._

She gulped and nodded.

He could feel the tension in the room hanging over them. Judging by the look on her face, she knew how he felt. He needed to do something, say something….

"Why don't we get dressed and go for some coffee?" He suggested quietly.

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed.

She turned and grabbed it from the night table. She glanced at the Caller ID and froze.

It was Danny.

I'M BACKKKKK!

SORRY FOR RUNNING AWAY BUT I'M HERE! DON'T WORRY!

I KNOW IT WAS SHORT BUT IT'S SOMETHING OF A TURNING POINT.


	7. Comprehension

Summer Love

Chapter 7: Comprehension

Lindsay's brown eyes darted to Don's blue ones.

He was saddened when he saw panic and guilt flash through them.

In the dark corners of his mind, he'd hoped that by doing what they'd done, they'd moved past the Danny issue.

_Apparently not._

He pulled his jeans on, leaving his shirt on the ground.

"I meant what I said Linds. This isn't something I take lightly." He told her quietly before he vacated the room, allowing her to answer the phone.

She took a deep breath, finding it slightly harder to breathe, and tapped the green button.

"Hello?"

Danny's face broke into a grin the moment he heard her voice. It had taken him a good amount of time to get his phone back from his controlling mother, but the moment he had it, she was the first person he called.

"Hey Montana." He greeted warmly.

Guilt swelled up inside her. He sounded so happy to talk to her, she felt awful. Her glance fell on the bed where she and Flack had just spent a very hot night together.

She turned away.

"Hey yourself. How's Miami?" She asked, struggling to keep her voice neutral and even.

"It's great. Would be better if you were down here prancing around in a bikini." He flirted. It felt so great to hear her voice again. It was literally music to his ears.

She forced a giggle. "Well, I'm here. It's hot and sweaty and it smells." She reported dutifully.

On his end, Danny frowned a bit. Normally, she'd have a comeback to such a blatant advance.

"Well don't worry, I convinced Ma that I was rested enough to come back early, I'll be home next Thursday evening."

That news should have been music to her ears, and a month ago, it probably would have been. But instead of joy bubbling up inside her, it was something else…

_Dread, it's dread. I'm dreading his return. How did that happen?_

"Danny, that's just so great. I'm glad you're coming back. Everyone misses you. You'll have to fill us in when you get back in the office." She told him, attempting to muster up some genuine enthusiasm.

At this, his whole face changed. Something was definitely up. "I was hoping maybe you'd want to pick me up at the airport? Then maybe we could grab dinner, catch up…." He tried, hoping to get some sort of real reaction out of her.

"I dunno Danny, I might have to work, but I'll get back to you. But listen, I gotta go, only day off, tons of things to do. I'll get back to you about Thursday. Bye!" She finished quickly before snapping the phone shut.

_She found someone else._

Danny wanted to throw his phone. He was upset, not at her, but at himself, at his mother, at the injuries he'd sustained. He couldn't blame her… He couldn't.

She pulled on a tank top and an old pair of soft grey shorts. After taking a quick look in the mirror, she made her way out to the living room.

Flack was propped up on the couch, his feet resting on the coffee table, bowl of cereal in hand, ESPN on the TV. He looked comfortable, he looked like he belonged there.

"That was quick." He remarked, keeping his tone even and his eyes on the program in front of him.

She sat down next to him.

"He's coming back early, next Thursday to be exact. He wants me to pick him up and then go out." Lindsay said, her eyes on Don.

Don silently picked up the remote, turned the TV off and set down his bowl of cereal.

"What did you tell him?" Don questioned, his gaze meeting hers.

"I kind of blew him off." She admitted.

He did a silent victory dance in his head, making sure to keep his expression neutral.

"Why?" He pressed.

"Because.... Don…. I… I didn't… I don't…. I…. He left, and I didn't get to talk to him, see him, any of that. And you were here and you made me forget. And I want to keep forgetting, selfish as that seems, and now he's coming back and I can't forget anymore. So I panicked…. I had to buy myself some time…" She sputtered out.

His face was the epitome of confusion.

"Time for what exactly?"

"To figure out you. I'm not going to go on a date with another man when I'm sleeping with his best friend. I….We need to figure this out." She explained.

"Linds, I think you're not understanding what I told you before. When I said I don't take this sort of thing lightly, I meant I have feelings for you. I care about you. I want to be with you. I've wanted to be with you for some time now. I don't need to figure anything out. And I guess I thought you didn't need to either. Was I wrong?"

She was completely taken aback by his blatant admission. She'd been fully prepared to sit down, hash this out and go forward.

_Shit._

And there you go, another chapter. I'm going to try to be less absent… I PROMISE.


	8. Final Call

Summer Love

Chapter 8: Final Call

Don was giving her space, he was giving her space and he hated it.

He hated that he couldn't stop into her office and talk with her. All everyone else wanted to do was talk shop. At least with her, he was able to get away from that.

He hated that they didn't each lunch together. Lunch at his desk sucked.

Dan was due back in 4 days.

He'd really hoped she'd have an answer for him before Messer returned.

But she was doing a bang up job of avoiding him as well, and he was beginning to think she was leaning towards ending things. He didn't like that notion, not at all.

By the time Wednesday night rolled around, Don Flack was a bundle of nerves. He hated that he'd let himself get this messed up over a woman. He hated that she'd managed to become his oxygen, his way to survive.

He couldn't take it anymore. Dan was coming back tomorrow. He needed answers. He couldn't… He couldn't just let her walk away. Not without at least knowing where she stood.

Which was how he ended up at her apartment at 9 pm the night before Danny was due home. He raised his hand and knocked twice.

Lindsay had been in a state of complete frustration marred with a touch of confusion. She'd spent the majority of her summer with a man who'd been nothing more than a co-worker prior to Danny's departure.

What was he? Her distraction? Her 'what I did this summer'? Her second choice? Her shoulder to cry on? Her stand in?

Her thought process had taken its toll. She was thoroughly exhausted and emotionally drained.

Danny was due back tomorrow. He'd texted her several times and as much as she hated to admit it, she'd been dodging him.

It was 9 pm and it was officially down to the wire. She'd promised Danny she would let him know before the day was out.

She was perched on her sofa, feet tucked under her, glass of wine in hand, the bottle on the coffee table, ready to be of service.

Her mind flitted back to Don. She felt a pang of regret in her chest when he appeared in her mind. She missed him. She may not have it all figured out but she did know that much.

A knock at her door startled her out of her deep thoughts. She sighed and unfolded herself from the couch and headed to the door, wine glass still in hand. She glanced through the peep hole.

She couldn't control the small leap her heart did when she recognized her visitor.

He gave her a wry smile when she opened the door.

"Evenin' Doll." He offered softly.

She stepped aside and let him in.

"Hi Flack." She replied quietly, not bothering to fight the small smile that appeared on her face.

He strode into the living room and his eyes came to rest on the half empty bottle of wine on the table. He turned and took in her haphazard appearance.

Lindsay Monroe was many things, but unkempt was not one of them.

"This is really tearin' you up huh?" He asked slowly, his brain screaming at him for coming off so apathetic.

"Don…" Her tone was weary and laced with a warning.

"Linds, listen, I get it. I know this wasn't what you were expecting this summer. I know that. I wasn't expecting it either. But it's been the best summer I've ever had. You know why? Because I got to know you, I got to be with you. These last few days… They've been HELL on me Linds. OK? HELL. I've hated that I can't be normal around you, that I can't visit or flirt with you or kiss you or touch you. It's killin' me. So just… Just let me please. I know you had feelings for Dan, and I get that. I know you guys had that night… But Doll, we've had so much more than just a night. We had a whole summer. Doesn't that count?" He finished, feeling more than a little pathetic for spewing his feelings so openly.

A single tear slid down her face. "It counts Don. It counts for so much. I've just been turning everything over in my head. You've been there for me all summer, and it's been amazing and I like you Don, I like you so much, I just need to make sure it's for the right reasons." She replied as she struggled to keep her voice steady.

"What do you mean the 'right reasons'? What are the wrong ones?" He choked out, a feeling of dread settling in his stomach.

"I mean… I just…. You were there when he wasn't and…I just… I don't think it's because of that… I can't really… I don't know…" She fumbled, wrestling for the right words.

"You thought…. You thought I was a stand-in? I was just a replacement for you??" He demanded, his tone more incredulous and hurt than angry.

"NO! I don't think that. I just…I'm… This wasn't supposed to happen, you know?"

"No, Linds, I don't know. Because from where I'm standin', It was supposed to happen. Is Danny gonna be pissed? Yeah, yeah he is. But ya know, the way I look at it, the end justifies the means. And for me, you're the end of the road. So if Dan couldn't deal with it, I was OK with that, I was, because I figured I'd have you. I guess I was wrong." He finished hollowly before turning on his heel and making for the door.

She leapt forward and grabbed his shirt sleeve, holding on for dear life. "Don, no! Please, please don't go… I can't…. I… Please, just stay." She pleaded, now holding his arm. Her eyes were pleading with him.

Before he could respond, her phone beeped.

She looked at him. She was willing to ignore if in favor of him. "Get it. Could be Mac." Flack instructed her, but not without feeling a bit happy that she'd been ready to ignore the phone if it meant keeping him there.

Lindsay dug her phone out and flipped it open. It was a text message.

Her face went pale.

**Messer: Montana, what's it gonna be? Your pretty face or some angry cabbie?**

Flack didn't need to ask who it was. The expression on her face told him.

"I'm not doing this anymore. I can't. So I need to know now. It might be unfair, but I need to know. You gotta tell me. If you want him, fine, but don't string me along with you. So what's it gonna be?"

SO NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE IT. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE. THANKS AGAIN TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WHO READ AND KEPT ON MY BUTT ABOUT UPDATES!


	9. Epilogue

Summer Love

Chapter 9: Epilogue

Lindsay fumbled for her keys as she tried to balance her purse and the groceries stacked up in her arms.

He heard her attempting to unlock the door and quickly made his way to the front of the apartment and pulled the door open for her.

"Thanks, I was about to lose all of this." She told him gratefully as he lifted the bags from her grasp.

"That'd be terrible. Our pasta primavera dinner would have been ruined." He joked as they put away the recently purchased food.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course that's what you'd focus on. Not the rest of the food, just what you want."

"Babe, I always focus on what I want." He told her, his tone edged with confidence.

She whirled to face him, his blue eyes a slightly more intense shade of blue. She recognized that color all too well.

That was the color his eyes became when he wanted her.

He was in front of her in two steps, his hands braced on the counter on either side of her.

"Haven't you heard of a personal bubble?" She questioned jokingly, raising her chocolate eyes to his deep blue ones, her own eyes mirroring the lust in his.

"Overrated. I like to get up close and personal, especially with brunettes from Montana." He whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.

He attempted to move closer but was stopped by her protruding stomach.

The grin on his lips shifted from feral to joy. He dropped a hand to her belly and felt the excited kick of his son.

He knelt down and spoke directly to his child. "Go to sleep son. I need to defile your mother."

She laughed out loud as he righted himself.

"Not kidding Monroe."

"Didn't think you were. But don't you think it's about time you start calling me by my rightful last name?"

"Nah. Cause if someone calls out Flack, we'd both come."

It was her turn to shoot him a feral grin. "I certainly hope so." Before he could register her sexual innuendo, she'd taken off in the direction of the bedroom.

He was only a couple of steps behind her.

"You better be naked by the time I get in there!"

So as you can see, she chose Don. I thought it'd be fun to have the last chapter skip ahead a bit so it ended on a less angsty note.

Glad you all read and I hope you keep reading!


End file.
